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U.S.A. – The Hawaii State Department of Budget and Finance may issue up to $100 million in special purpose revenue bonds that could be used to aid the construction of two new desalinations plants powered exclusively by solar power. The special purpose revenue bonds would allow the state to support private capital improvement projects that are in the public interest; and it would be possible for private investors to purchase them.

The legislation is now awaiting a vote by the Senate and House or Representatives. The funds raised from the bonds would initially be used to support the construction of a 6,000 m3/d plant by Kona Coast Water and Trevi Systems. The plant would be located at a site leased by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, north of Kailua-Kona.[1]

U.A.E. – Construction on Dewa’s desalination plant in Jebel Ali commenced earlier this month. Belhasa Six Construct (Besix) and Acciona are building the $237 million project which should be operational by May 2020. The Taweelah plant in Abu Dhabi is approaching financial close and will cost $1.2 billion. The plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. [2], [3]

SAUDI ARABIA – The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has plans to increase its stake in ACWA Power to 40 percent. PIF already possesses a 25 percent stake in ACWA and is looking to invest in electric vehicles and solar power. The fund currently has $360 billion in assets and the Saudi government’s goal is to increase PIF’s assets to $600 billion by 2020.[4]

AUSTRALIA – Unfavorable weather conditions have delayed offshore investigations for a potential desalination plant off Alkimos. Western Australia’s Water Corporation started the investigation that would provide insight about the seafloor and geology beneath the seabed last September. The company has reported that the work will be done within the next couple of weeks.[5]

TURKMENISTAN – Last week a Turkmen delegation visited Alicante’s Torrevieja desalination plant and was given the opportunity to learn about the activities and structure of the plant. The delegation also held meetings at the Ministry of Ecological Transition of Spain—meeting the State Secretary of the Ministry among others.

During the visit, various companies presented the delegation with pumps and valves for desalination and power plants. The delegation also visited The Flowserve pump manufacturing plant at Callede Tierrade Barros, where they were able to examine the production and supply of pumps for desalinations plants.[6]